It pays to learn Spanish, not so much to cater to them but to play dumb in order to let those who kiss your ass in English out themselves by talking crap about you in Spanish when they think you don't have a clue.

That is exactly what I have been telling people for years, ever since the invasion began. I worked with a fatso during the eighties who was bad at using Spanish in a group of English speaking Americans.
I understand some spanish, who does not, but not much.

It is an asset these days to know more than one language no matter what it is.

A black guy I knew in Chicago was very interested in German culture and language partly because of his German great-grandfather. He studied German all through college and became fluent. He was not at all a ghetto-type person...he was into fine wines, seashells, sculpture, classical music and other wimpy type stuff. (No offense, anyone. ) But he was about 6'4" and muscular.

One summer, he went to Germany to see the country and meet with distant relatives. When he was by himself on one of those gondola things that goes up a mountain, some locals speaking German were calling him a stupid ni**er and went on and on about black people. When they were dangling at the highest distance from the ground, my friend, in flawless German, started talking in a friendly way about how interesting the scenery was and that being from Chicago, he'd never been on a mountain before...how high up were they anyway? long way down...

Sure wish I could have seen the looks on their faces! After that, they talked nice to him, but he said they looked more scared than anyone he ever saw.
From going to summer school in France (French haughty? oh you bet!) myself in the same timeframe, I know Europeans thought of Al Capone when they heard Chicago. It had a rough reputation. And they were hanging in a car high up. Eeeek!

In France I'd be some places where they claimed there was no one who spoke English so I would stumble along in my one year of college French, and lo and behold, I'd get an answer in English. They respected you more if you at least tried to use their language. But I wonder how many tourists in France thinking no one around speaks their language provide entertainment talking about the French or even private business.

I worked for a short while with some French and French Canadians in San Diego.

Of the pair I worked directly with, I was invisible to the Frenchman unless there was something he REALLY needed to communicate in arrogant, badly broken English.

The French Canadian was far more approachable. I'm curious about foreigners and people from other parts of America. In one of our conversations I asked about the hard feelings between the French Canadians and Anglo Canadians - he said it was all true but it wasn't between he and I.

True to many of the foreigners I have met who aren't fluent in English, he - unsolicited - began teaching me the names of tools and such in his language.

One Sunday I was discussing all this with a Cajun friend. My friend suggested greeting the Frenchies with "Como Se Va?" the next time I saw them and see what happened, which I did. They all got big smiles and said "Tre Bien!". The ice thawed after that.

A lot of Mexicans are like that. Some do have genuine trouble learning English, I believe many more just don't want to. There are many, particularly women (the men seem more of a sardonic or a cynical bent) who are aloof to anything beyond necessary communication. Some are afraid or distrustful, others are a-holes who want to work you around to accommodating them in their language. However, meeting the former half way with a little Spanish tends to open them up. If I think they are A-holes, I won't speak any Spanish with them unless I'm pissed off.

On the other hand and sad to say, I believe that out of 20 who appear friendly to the point of close friendship only one genuinely will be a friend. I am sometimes baffled by the contrasting behavior of poor Mexicans who share everything with each other and the fact that no one can screw a Mexican like another Mexican.

And I'm a gabacho, something "special" in the Mexican national consciousness.

__________________Freibier gab's gestern

Hay burros en el maiz

RAP IS TO MUSIC WHAT ETCH-A-SKETCH IS TO ART

Don't drink and post.

"A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat." - Old New York Yiddish Saying

"You can observe a lot just by watching." Yogi Berra

Old journeyman commenting on young apprentices - "Think about it, these are their old days"

When my son was working at Egghead, (you know how long ago that was) a man came in trying to buy something and didn't speak a single word of English, only Spanish. He tried to get someone to help him doing all the familiar things, speaking slowly and carefully. Several sales people tried to get him to leave and come back with a translator. All he got was frustrated and angry. For some reason, it made my son frustrated and angry who got so mad he spoke to him in French.

The man broke into a huge smile, so happy to find someone who could understand him and answered in French. It turned out to be a large sale once the language thingy got solved.

U all are racist fools. How can you not be called a racist modafoca when you are talking about races and what they want to do and how they behave or how they live. You are judging them to be invasive, stubborn.....Foc U. Youz modafoca's are simply racist.

When I was moving from the Midwest to California 15 years ago, someone tried to dissuade me by mentioning it had "too much diversity" except that's not quite how they said it. I said, "I like diversity. I have no problem with that."

Well, now here I am, a new member of an organization devoted to the problems caused by illegal immigration. Why? Well, I do like diversity, and have friends all over the world, but we are being invaded.

The tipping point for me was our Legislature and various cities protesting Arizona taking legitimate action against the problem. We have plenty of problems of our own in California and we'd be in a LOT better shape without illegal aliens flooding in, just like Arizona. So with all California's problems, our representatives think it is more important to side with illegal aliens and criminals.

Right on.. I see this area of California in general and what I see before me is a place with potential. It COULD be Arizona here, why isn't it? I mean California has several patriotic residents although mostly older, some I am sure are young as well or they at least know to not go to the problem races for anything. Even as a newer resident of CA, I don't like the amounts of interracial relationships/marriages I see here. If not for all this corruption going on, I think you have a good state overall. Midtown Sacramento is a fucking disaster at nighttime it seems or wherever all the main trendy spots are. I am just amazed that a place with this kind of "conservative" nature is as open to interracial relationships and immigration. It makes no sense. Might as well make Sacramento completely liberal. Also, I have found that a place can be boring when there is tons of cultural diversity in one place where they decide to breed mixed kids. Its almost like the character is taken away and whites won't be around if it continues.

We have a policy of staying clear of racially exclusive or separatist philosophies. There are many people involved in the immigration law enforcement movement who are of mixed races, including myself, who have contributed to the safety and security of this state and this country. I realize there are people that don't agree with that, and I'd like to convince you that interracial relationships and marriages/children that follow are not necessarily a bad thing, but in the meantime we'll have to advise you that we don't pursue the racial agenda as a rule here. We do speak out when race is being used against us by those who would manipulate on that platform, but that's about the extent of it. We focus on the law, our culture, and sovereignty, and so forth. Hope you understand